Dras, July 26
The Army today drew from the militancy operations a demand for which was put forward by the Peoples Democratic Party, a coalition partner in the government in Jammu & Kashmir.

Lt Gen H.S. Panag, GOC-in-C, Northern Command said our human rights record was much better in respect of insurgency drive anywhere else," the General said on the sidelines of eighth anniversary of Army's victory in Kargil war.

He dismissed allegations lakhs of Army personnel had been deployed in Kashmir, causing inconvenience to the local population.

"We have no more than 80,000 troops deployed for counter-insurgency operations in J&K and rest of the force was on the border defending it and checking infiltration from across the border," he said.

Out of the 80,000 troops, he added, 55 per cent was in the valley while the rest on the order side of Pir Panjal range in Jammu division.

Respecting the wishes of local demands, he said, the army had vacated all schools it had requisitioned to house soldiers. "We are in the process of leaving other government buildings and orchards," he said.

He also said the Army would continue to carry out operations as long as the militancy was not uprooted from the state and infiltration stopped, hinting at the unlikelihood of any major de-militarisation in the valley.

Though, he added, the decision was for the political leadership to make.

Earlier, Lt Gen O.P. Nandrajog, GOC-in-C, Central Command, said it was imperative for soldiers and nation not to forget the reasons of the Kargil war, in which the Army had suffered maximum number of casualties ever suffered by it.

The then Pakistani army chief, General Musharraf, who now is the country's President and continues to head army, had orchestrated the Kargil incursion and wanted to use its occupation of strategic heights in Ladakh area to bargain on Indian Army's positon on Siachen.

"We were taken by surprise and had to pay with the high casualty of officers and troops to capture the heights from Pakistani troops," he said.

Dras, July 26
A court of inquiry has indicted one of the two soldiers, who allegedly tried to rape a girl in Bandipora last month.

Lt Gen H.S. Panag, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, however, declined to comment on what charge the soldier was found guilty, saying the police investigation in the case was still on, and the Army would make a final decision only after cops presented their charge sheet in court.

The two soldiers were caught by the locals and paraded through the lanes of the town before they the police rescued them using force.

The court of inquiry has given clean chit to another soldier. The Army had claimed after the incident the two soldiers were on an intelligence operation, while the locals alleged they were not even carying identity cards with them.

Speaking on cases of suicide and fragging in the Army, General Panag, while talking on the sidelines of the eighth anniversary of Army's victory in Kargil war, said they had developed leadership development centres in every brigade where non- commissioned officers and officers would be trained.

They subsequently would use the learnt techniques in dealing with their soldiers. "The Army's job here is a high- tension work and,at times, some family problems back home aggravate the stress, resulting in suicides or fraggings," he said.

The General stressed rate of suicides in Army was much less than other armies, including that of the USA, and nowhere near the national average.

Udhampur, July 26
Rattan Chand ,a poor landless farmer, after he was denied help by the panchayat, approached the police to get justice for his minor girl, who allegedly was raped by a son of an influential person in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district.

Nine- year- old daughter of Rattan Chand of Bananzar village of Ramnagar was allegedly raped by Arjun son of Mohan Lal of same village four days ago but the matter was hushed up following intervention by villagers.

According to the father of the victim, the accused overpowered the minor, raped her and later threw her in a field in an unconscious condition. Bleeding profusely the girl narrated her tale of woe after regaining consciousness.

Parents of the girl decided to approach the police but some `respectable' persons of the locality intervened and convinced Rattan Chand not to complain to the police. They had promised the matter would be brought before the panchayat.

After assurance of these persons Rattan Chand did not complain to the police and approached the panchayat for justice. But, instead of taking some action against the accused, panchayat members started putting pressure on the father of the victim to hush up the matter to protect dignity and honour of the family. Ultimately Rattan Chand along with his wife approached the Ramnagar police for justice.

The police has registered a case under Section 376 of the Ranbir Penal Code(RPC) and sent the girl for medical examination. A hunt has also been launched to nab the culprit involved in the crime.

Udhampur, July 26
Sumbher and adjoining localities of Ramban district were in fear following the killing of a civilian by militants.

The deceased, dubbed an informer by militants, was beheaded. Reports reaching here said militants forced entry into the house of Mohammed Ibrahim in Sumbher village of Ramban district on Wednesday night.

Militants dragged Mohammed Ibrahim out and later beheaded him in the presence of some villagers. Before leaving the village, militants told the villagers Mohammed Ibrahim was an informer of security forces so he was killed.

Militants later escaped from the village. This belt was in terror after the killing of Mohammed Ibrahim. Militants have threatened to wipe out families of those who would provide assistance to the security forces.

After getting information about the incident, a police party reached the spot and started search to nab those involved in this incident.

Meanwhile security forces have intensified search operation in Seoz Dhar following the recovery of huge quantity of arms and ammunitions.

Jammu, July 26
The power commissioner and other bigwigs in the Power Development Corporation failed to transfer Rs 1.50 lakh sanctioned by the government for the treatment of PDD technician Pawan Kumar who is battling for life in a hospital because of renal failure.

On March 4 the government had sanctioned Rs1.50 lakh in favour of Pawan Kumar specialised medical treatment. The money he had was spent on the treatment he got in the Jammu Medical college where the doctors referred him to Batra hospital at Sidhra in Jammu after he went into coma.

Pawan Kumar had received a letter(60/PDD-2007) in which it was mentioned the amount was meant for his treatment in either thePGI or AIIMS.Since he failed to receive the amount he got himself admitted in Jammu Medical college.

Pawan's relatives and friends talked to chief engineer PDD ,D.S.Pawar.He told them the PDD had no money. "We can pay Rs1.50 lakhs to Pawan Kumar only when power commissioner ,Basharat Ahmed transferred the money to us."

He had no specific answer when asked why he was not reminding the power commissioner about it. PDD officials later said Pawar was engaged in seeking either extension in his service or re-employment.

They said that senior Congress Minister Mangat Ram Sharma was also busy helping Pawar to fuilfil his wish. Neither the minister nor any functionary in the government was interested in saving the life of Pawan Kumar, said Pawan's brother-in-law Amit Kumar.

Rajouri, July 26
An Army officer of the field ambulance unit died under mysterious circumstances inside his unit headquarters in the Nowshehra area here last night.

A Defence spokesperson said Lt Colonel Vidya Sant Joshi of 325 field ambulance unit posted at Nowshehra died of a heart attack inside his room at his unit headquarters.

Sources said the police had registered a case and started investigations.